Magnetic sweeper



Dec. 26, 1961 c. w. R055 3,01

MAGNETIC SWEEPER Filed. Sept. 16. 1960 FIG. I

INV EN TOR. CHARLES W. ROSS ATTORNEY United States Patent ice 3,014,586 7,; w v MAGNETIC SWEEPER Charles W. Ross, 1831 14th St., Moline, Ill.

7 Filed Sept. 16, 1960, Ser. No. 56,430

9 Claims. (Cl. 209215) carrying a permanent magnet and associated pole plates.-

Ajpanel of non-mangetic material is disposed between the pole plates and surfaces to be swept so that ferrous par,{ ticles impinge against the plate. Customarily provision is made to remove the magnet and pole plates away from the panel or plate to relieve the magnetic attraction so that the ferrous materials will gravitate from the plate and either be collected or scrapped as desired. Generally the main frame carrying the magnet and pole platesis pivotally mountedrelative to the non-magnetic panel or, plate and separation of the magnetic field and nonmagnetic plate is done simply by swinging or pivoting one away from the other. It is the primary object of the'present invention to pro vide a magnetic. sweeper of a new and novel design in which all parts of the sweeper are rigidly joined together by a simple means but may be dismantled for'inspection or maintenance work. g j

Specifically it is the object of the present invention to provide a magneticsweeper featuring a downwardly opening mobile casing of magnetic material and closed at its underside by a non -magneticplate which extends outwardly beyond the vertical walls of the casing to outer upward.- l y inclined portions. Contained within. the casing 'is"a permanent magnet structure which operates as casing created thereby will be shorted or will not penetrate through the magnetic walls of thec'a'sing. Consequently,

3,014,586 Patented Dec. 26, 1961 lip portion 1 8 projecting rearwardly from the rear wall 13. The fact that the lips 17, '18 are inclined is important since it places them outwardly of the walls 12, 13. Also important is the fact that the underwall 16 is composed of a non-magnetic material, a high grade stainless steel being the preferred type used.

A pair of wheels 20, 21 are supported on the housing structure side walls 14, 15 by means of studs 22, 2B threaded ontheir internal ends. The threaded ends extend through suitable openings in the side walls 14, 15v

and are held rigid thereon by means of nuts 24, 2'5 and 26,27 which are tightened against opposite sides of the walls 14,15, lock washers as at 28, 29 being provided between the nuts 25, 27 and the respective walls 14, 15. The wheels 20, 21 are rotatably carried on smooth outer ends of the studs 22, 23 and are held thereon bymeans of cotter pins 30, 31. Washers 32, 3'3 and 34, 35 are provided on opposite sidesof the wheels 20, 21 so as to maintain a relatively free rotation of the wheels.

A magnetic field is maintained for the sweeper by a semi-circular permanent magnet 40. The magnet 40 is 3% of a cast alloy material andrnay be of any of several horseshoe type magnets commercially produced. The magnet 40 creates opposite north and south poles shown as N and S respectively on the drawings. The. magnet 40 is centrally located between the side walls 14,15 and has the lower ends of its leg portions abutting against the upper vertical openings or holes 49,50 ,in'the front and rear the magnetically attracted ferrous particles mayibe wiped by acloth along the under surface of the underplate and upon their reaching the outer portions of theuiiderplate, or that portion outwardlyof the confinesof the casing;

the magnetic attraction will be reduced "to a point in which they will, gravitate from the respective outer portion of the underplate.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will her come apparent to, those skilled in the artas the nature of, the-invention is better understoodfrom the followingdc;

scription and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIGURE 1 is a side perspective viewof the magnetic. sweeper incorporating'the structure -of the,present invention. j

FIGURE 2 is avertical sectionalview along the fore and aft center line of the sweeper.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the linosi3-3 of FIGURE 2.. v

. Referring to the drawings, the sweeperhas a housing portions of the horseshoe magnet 40. The upper ends of the bolts are threaded and nuts 51, 52 are provided to fix the magnet in position and in engagement with the pole plates 41, 42. v,

The upper ends of the brass bolts 45, 46 have upper threaded portions extending through the overhead plate 11 of :the casing 10. An upwardly inclined handle 55 extendsfrom' the housing structure 10"and has a lower horizontally disposed and fore and aft extending portion 55a lying adjacent the upper surface of the overhead plate 11.

The upper ends of the bolts 45, 46 extend through the handle'portion 55a. Nuts 56, 57 are threaded on the bolts 45, 46 above the handle portion 55a; The pole plates 41, 42 arespot welded to the underplate 16. 'Consequently,

' bytightening the nut's56,57 on the bolts 45, 46, the handie becomes rigidly united .with the housing structure 10. Also, the loweredges of the upright walls 11-15 closely engage the surface of the under paneland are rigidly held against 'separ'ationf If it isdesired to take the unit apart,

such may be done merely by removing the nuts 56, 57 at structure including a box-like downwardly opening casing:

which time the handle 55 may be removed and the housing structure or casing 10 removed to expose the magnet will impinge against and be held against the bottom of the. plate 16 and the portion of. the plate '16 within the confines of the walls 12, 13;.

In order to remove the ferrous articles from the plate 16, the entire unit may be'raised or turned over and the articles may be wiped by a cloth or other suitable means to either of the lips 1 7, 18 at which locationthe magnetic effect of the magnet structure 40, 41, 42 is of negligible amount and the lips 17 and 18 may be wiped clean with little effort. g

In moving over the floor, the sweeper may:encunter bolts, boards, and other such projecting objects of height greater than thelower surface ofthe underplate 16. By providing lipsor portions .17, 18, the sweeper may be guided over them even though the wheels maybe momentarily. raised off the floor. .If the objects, are .of magnetic substance, they will adhere to-the plate 16 and the-,plate will need to be wiped prior to further sweeping. Also,

when approaching large machine tools withfrarnework bolted or otherwise fixed to the floor,- the inclined portions 17, 18 will tend to guide the plate v16 over thelower flanges of the framework (which normally rest on the floor) until the. wheels contact the flanges. Consequently, even the small ,ferrous particles which normally avoid ,4 npwardly projecting ends of the studs and an upper remote end adapted for manual manipulation.

3. A magnetic sweeper comprising: a metallic mobile casing of magnetic material opening downwardly and having transversely spaced upright side walls, front and rear upright side walls and an overhead wall interconnecting the upper edges of the aforesaid Walls; transversely spaced wheels eifectingmobility of the casing mounted on and extending outwardly from the side Walls; a laterally disposed underplate ofnon-magnetic material disposed beneath andnormally abutting the lower edges of thewalls, said plate having upwardly inclined front and rear end portions extending laterally beyond the lower edges of the frontand rear side walls; a permanent magnet disposedwithin the'casing having opposite ends defining opposite poles and having upright openings therein; a pair of parallel and transversely disposed lateral poleplates fixed to the upper surface of the underplate in spaced rebeing picked upby other sweepers may be picked up .with

the present sweeper.

While only one form of theinvention has been shown, it should berecognized that. .other forms andvariations will occur to those skilled inthe art. the present formwas shown and described in detail for the purpose of clearly. and concisely illustrating t-heprinciples of the invention,.it.was not the intention to, limit or narrow the invention beyond thebroad concept vset forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A magnetic sweeper comprising: a metalliccasing of magnetic material opening downwardly and having oppositely disposed transversely spaced uprightside walls, fore and .aft spaced upright sidewalls and .anoverhead wall interconnecting theupper edges ofthe aforesaid .walls; wheel structure effecting mobility ofthe casing fixed to and extending outwardly from theside walls; .a laterally disposed underplate of non-magnetic .material disposed beneath and normally abuttingthe loweredgesofthe walls, said platehaving upwardlyinclined-end portions extending laterally beyond the lower edgesof the walls; a permanent magnet disposed within the ca'singhaving opposite ends defining opposite poles and having ,upright openings therein; a pair, of parallel laterally ,disposed, pole plates fixed to the upper surface of the underplatetnonmagnetic studs mounted on the pole plates and extending upwardly through the openings in the permanent magnet and through .the overhead walltoupwardly projecting ends; means associatedwith thestuds for mountingthe magnet in engagement .with the pole, platesa'nd against movement relative to the studs; and an elongated rigid control element having a lower end mounted onthe upwardly projecting ends of the studs and-an upper remote end adapted for manual manipulation.

2. A. magneticsweeper comprising: .a metallic casing of magnetic material opening downwardly and having oppositely disposed transversely spaced upright side walls, fore. and aft spaced upright sidewalls-andanoverhead wall interconnecting the upper edges of theaforesaid walls; wheelstructure-efiecting mobility-of the casing fixed to and. extending outwardly from the side walls; a laterally disposed underplate of-non-magnetic material disposed beneath and normally abutting the loweredges of the walls, said plate having upwardly inclined end; portions extending laterallyzbeyond thelower edges of the walls; a permanent magnet disposed within the .casing hav-. ing opposite ends defining opposite poles:and; having upright openings therein; a pair .of parallel laterally disposed pole plates fixed to the upper surface of the underplate; non-magnetic threaded studs mounted onthe-pole plates and extending upwardly through the openings in'the permanent magnet and through the overhead wall to: up wardly projecting ends; nuts threadedly associated :with the studs for hearing downwardly against the magnet to effect engagement'with the pole plates; and anelongated rigid control element having a lower end mounted on the Therefore, while lation to oneanother; non-magnetic studs mounted on the pole. plates and extending upwardly through the openings inthe permanentmagnet and through theoverhead wall to.,.up.wardly projecting ends; means associated with the studsyformounting the magnet in magnetic engagement withth'e pole plates; and an elongated rigid control element having .a laterally disposed lower end mounted on the upwardly. projecting ends of the studs and inclined to an upper remote end adapted for manual manipulation.

4. Amagnetic sweeper comprising: a mobile casing opening downwardly and having verticallydisposed side walls of magnetic material; a laterally disposed underplate of non-magnetic material disposed beneath and normally abutting the lower. edges of the side walls, said plate having at least one upwardly inclined portion extending laterally beyondthe lower edges of the side walls; a permanent magnet disposed'within the casing having opposite ends defining oppositepoles and having upright openings therein; a pair of parallel and transversely disposed late'ral pole;plates fixedto the upper surface of the underplate in's'pa'ced relation to one another; non-magnetic studs mounted on the pole plates and extending upwardly through theopenings in the permanent magnet to upwardly projecting ends; and an elongated control element having a" lower end mounted on the upwardly projecting ends or the studs and inclined to an upper remote end.

'5. A'r'nagnetic sweeper comprising: a casing opening downwardly having upright side walls composed of magne'tic material and-an overhead wall interconnecting the upper, edges of the. side walls; wheel structure effecting mobilityjof and mounted on the casing; a laterally disposed underplate of non-magnetic material disposed beneath. and normally abutting the lower edges of the walls,

, said plate' having at least one upwardly inclined end portion extending laterally beyond the lower edges; a magnet structure disposed within the casing having opposite poles with upright openings therein; non-magnetic studs rigid with the underplate andextending upwardly through the openings in the-magnet structure and through the overhead wall to upwardly projecting ends; and an elongated control lever means having-a lower end mounted on the upwardly projecting ends of the studs and an upper remote end.

6. A magnetic sweeper comprising: a mobile casing opening downwardly having vertically disposed side walls composed of magnetic material; a laterally disposed underplate of non magnetic material disposed beneath the lower edges of the walls, said plate having at least one upwardly inclined portion extending laterally beyond and outsidethe confines of the side walls; a magnet structure supported within the casing; and an elongated control lever meanshaving a lower end connected to the casing and extending'to an upper free end remote from the casing.

7. A magneticsweeper comprising: a mobile casing opening downwardly having vertically disposed side Walls composed of magnetic material; a laterally disposed underplate of non-magnetic material disposed beneath the lower edges of the walls, said plate having at least one portion extending laterally beyond and outside the confines of the side walls; a magnet structure supported Within the casing; and an elongated control lever means having a lower end connected to the casing and extending to an upper free end remote from the casing.

8. The invention defined in claim 7 in which the easing has a front and rear side wall and the underplate extends beyond the lower edge of the front wall to define said portion of the underplate, and said portion is inclined upwardly in respect to the lower edge of the front wall.

9. The invention defined in claim 7 in which the casing has a front and rear side Wall and the underplate has a portion thereof extending forward of the front wall and a portion extending rearward of the rear wall and both of said portions are inclined upwardly in respect to the respective lower edges of the front and rear side walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,561,077 Hirsch Nov. 10, 1925 2,455,319 Stearns Nov. 30, 1948 2,654,480 Stern Oct. 6, 1953 

